Let the show go on
by Allemande
Summary: A what if story that reveals a totally new side about a certain lovable computer specialist...


Let the show go on   


"Daddy can we go to the Spring festival the day after tomorrow? It's here in Blue Cove and they say it's really funny, there are clowns and all kinds of things and..." 

I cover her mouth to stop her from babbling. "Really sweetheart, you know I have work to do. Maybe you can ask your mother?" 

She grimaces. "Daddy, you know Mom's in Minnesota. She won't be here for another three months. The festival is on Saturday, why do you have to work? Jennifer's Dad took her to the circus last month although he works as a lawyer. He-" 

"Debbie. I told you my work is one with irregular working times. It's not like Jennifer's Dad's working times or any other Dad's working times, it depends on whether they need me at the moment or not and they do." I frown, a little, and add: "Well, maybe they don't, but I have to be there anyway." She thinks I'm not very self-confident, as do the others, and so I have to say this. 

"You may be right Broots, we don't need you." Miss Parker has stalked in without a sound -or at least not any sounds that *I* would have had to hear- glares at me and smiles at my daughter. "Hello Debbie." 

"Hi Miss Parker", she answers happily. I would *never* have thought that my daughter and that... woman would become good friends, but they did. Well, the better for me. The great Ice Queen has even gone out with my daughter sometimes since they know each other, and on those evenings I had time for something else, which I rarely do. 

"Go with your Daddy to the Spring festival", Miss Parker finishes what she was about to say, "I will stay here and do his work." Her comment almost makes me laugh out loud. She doesn't really believe she could do *my* work, does she? 

"Mr, um, Raines said I should be here the following week", I reply, nervously. I know she'll be staring at me now, staring like she'd eat me in the next moment. But I just love this game. 

She stares at me. "Broots, I don't care what *Mr* Raines says, this is *my* work. *I* am to bring Jarod back and I will, but only as soon as that half-dead oxygen tank doesn't bother me anymore in what I am doing. Is that clear?" 

I allow myself a small smile, which she will always interpret as nervousness. "Tell that to Mr Raines." 

At that point, Sydney comes in. "Talking about Mr Breathless again?" he asks, smiling in that mysterious way he has gotten used to. And we have, too, in some way. I can't help myself but in some way I like Sydney. He doesn't really know about me, of course, and thinks I'd be better off in hospital, but that's the role I am playing. 

"I'm coming from Mr Parker", Sydney says, and as always, I see Miss Parker flinch a little at the mentioning of her father. She's having a major life crisis at the moment, because slowly she -even she- figures out that her father doesn't have any emotion. 

That guy is really stupid. I mean, well, I can perfectly understand his emotions but to show them this well... He's making her hate him and *that* is the mistake that is going to kill him one day. Not that I'd really care. 

Sydney continues. "He says he's not satisfied with the way the Jarod matter is handled." 

"Hah!" Miss Parker shouts and slams her fist on my desk. I know the desk is hard so I smile again. Miss P is pacing through the room. "What is he *expecting* us to do?!" 

"Daddy?" 

"Huh?" This time I really didn't notice Debbie walking towards me. Now she takes my hand. "Are we gonna go or not?" 

I look at her with what is supposed to be a fatherly look. "You've heard it, darling, we're very busy." A rather harsh answer. I bite my lip. Debbie's face turns sad and she walks over to play with her gameboy. 

I suddenly notice Sydney watching me attentively. Damn, I was out of role for a sec and at once that guy had to notice. 

The phone rings. I hope it's somebody who will get me out of this. "Hello", I answer and hear whom I hoped to hear. "Oh, Mr.. um... Raines", I say, stammering, nervous. I mean, after all it's Raines who has always given me the scare of my lifetime. Something inside me chuckles. "Yes, I ... er.. will, immediately..." I hang up and look at the others. 

"What?" Miss Parker demands, impatiently. 

"Mr Raines told me to get up to the Tower, there's a problem with the computers and..." 

Miss P shakes her head in disbelief. "Aren't there other technicians up there, dammit? Why do they have to get somebody from my team?!" 

I shrug, frowning, and smile inwardly. A small bonus. Not only will I get out of this situation but again Miss P is in a terrible mood. I so love to see her upset. "Well, I'd better be going... Debbie, don't run away, okay?" 

She rolls her eyes. She hates being treated like a baby. "Of course I won't, Daddy." 

I leave, ignoring Sydney's gaze at me. I'll make that right later, he can't have any serious suspicions anyway. After all he's just the psychologist. Sometimes I think he even imagines to be able to harm the Centre-- how ridiculous. As for Miss P... she's quite a girl. I call her the Ice Queen but she only *thinks* she's got the perfect mask. Everytime I look at her I see the vulnerable little girl she still is, and will always be. 

I will never forgive those damn people who were responsible for Mrs Parker's death. Okay, she knew too much and was a danger for the Centre's interests, but what *I* wanted was to have her alive. That's what I told them. Well, how could I ever expect something from those idiots--- they're just doing their work. Okay, as for the sweepers who actually killed Catherine on that day... they *were* just doing their work - and they will never again... I can't keep a little smile from creeping up my lips. 

The elevator signals me I have arrived on the right floor. A sweeper is awaiting me outside. For a small moment I think he's here to kill me and my hand quickly goes to my jacket. But he holds up his hands. "I'm here to escort you." 

Realization dawns. He doesn't know. That's good; the less know, the easier for me to play the role. 

We arrive at Mr Parker's office. I simulate hesitation before entering the office. The sweeper follows me. 

Inside there are Mr Parker, sitting at his desk, Mr Raines standing next to it as usual. And Willie, of course. 

Mr Raines motions for "my" sweeper to get out. Only the four of us remain in the room. I look around nervously, having remembered almost too late that even Mr Parker doesn't know. "Mr... um... Raines?" 

"Mr Broots", Mr Raines says and nods slightly. "Jarod has been spotted in the state of Washington. He is pretending to be a virologist." He is silent, apparently waiting for my answer. I frown at him, wondering what he is expecting from me, but he just waits. I motion with my head to Mr Parker. Mr Raines turns to look at Miss P's father. "Oh, I forgot. Mr Parker knows about you." 

My eyebrows go up, slowly, then I smile. Finally. Until now Mr Parker has known of me in an indirect way, as the person in the shadows. Now... "Must have been a shock, huh?" I ask him, grinning. He shrugs, tries to remain cool. "You get used to the thought." 

"What about Jarod?" Mr Raines asks. I turn to him again. "Well, proceed as usual." Mr Raines nods, taking up the order in silence. I watch him -I like to do that, since even he gets nervous- and he turns his look away. "Anything else, Sir?" he asks. I smile and shake my head. "No, that would be all. Thank you." He nods and walks out, Willie following him. Mr Parker and I remain in the office. 

"How long have you been doing this?" Mr Parker addresses me, and, in a somewhat ironical tone, adds, "If I may ask." 

I smile again, sitting down. "Of course you may." He's in the state where he's not yet afraid of me - that's a state I like... but it won't last long, unfortunately. "What do you mean by 'doing this', giving the orders or playing the nervous technician?" 

He shrugs, suddenly uncomfortable at my coolness. There, that's what I mean. "Maybe both." 

I grin. "Well, the authority went right from my father to me. You might remember Mr Welton." 

Mr Parker shakes his head, not believing what he's hearing. "Mr Welton was your father?" He does remember him, the short, yet so powerful man who founded this institution. 

I just nod. He sees he won't get any explanations from me and so he sinks back again. I go on. "As for Broots, the technician... that came about fifteen years after my father's death. I wanted some control in the 'executive' parts, you understand?" 

He smiles awkwardly. "I was never aware that Mr Broots the technician controlled my daughter's department." 

"Discretion is the key", I reply. "They don't know and that's what keeps me in control." 

He nods. I can see he wants to change the subject but will be very uncomfortable with the new one. I have to grin again. These guys don't know how easily I can see through them. "What is it?" I ask, only to show him that I know. He stares at me and suddenly bends forward. "What happened to my wife?" 

I sigh and lean back in my chair. I knew he was going to ask this. "It was a ... misunderstanding. She was making trouble and I told them to get her out of the US, but apparently somebody was being too --- hot-blooded." I smile ironically. "Pity, she was an agreeable woman." 

Mr Parker holds up a finger. He seems to have a problem with something I said. "Wait a minute... *you* told them?" 

I raise my eyebrows questioningly. "I believe that's what I said." 

"You can't have been more than ten years old back then." 

Oh, that's where his problem is... for a brief moment, I consider explaining it to him. But no--- I like to see this face of his, helpless and with a little portion of fear in it. That he, of course, thinks he is concealing from me. 

I throw him a bright smile and stand up. "Nine." I turn and walk out. 

My work for this day is done, I decide. To my luck, Miss P has offered to take Debbie with her because I have 'so much work to do'.... I really have to pay attention - Debbie is the only one whom I really... care for, in some way. Someday, she will take my place. That's what I promised to my father. 

Somebody is in my apartment, I realize as soon as I turn the keys and step in. The atmosphere is strangely heated. 

My hand goes to the gun in my jacket. I slowly make some steps into no particular direction when I can finally make out the dark figure standing in the middle of the room. I switch the light on. To my luck my acting talents haven't suffered from my long talk with Mr Parker. My eyes grow wide and I stare at the person. 

"Jarod", I whisper. He stares at me without any emotions or thoughts being displayed in his face. I take the gun I held in my hand and aim it at him, with a shaking hand. "Jarod, it's- it's loaded." 

He makes some steps in my direction and now I can clearly make out anger in his face. "Stop it Broots." 

Wait a sec, hasn't he always been calling me 'Mr Broots', a touching gesture that was always supposed to show me there is somebody who respects me? (How incredibly hilarious, but I'm not in the mood for laughing.) He comes closer, doesn't seem to fear the gun in my hand. If I want to play Broots, I won't fire anyway. If I don't want to play Broots, I won't either. 

Then I see the expression in his eyes and I realize what this is about. The gun is lowered. "You know", I say. It's not a question, simply a fact being stated. 

He nods. "I know." 

I put the gun on the table, still a little unsure of what he is planning with me. "How did you find out?" 

"Sydney told me that you had been behaving strangely." 

I frown and shake my head. "I had?" 

Jarod smiles wryly and crosses his arms. "Sydney is not as dumb as you think." 

I nod. "Probably not. And then? Oh, wait, let me guess... you pretended to be me and then you analyzed my blood." I have come to the point of being convinced that he's not here to harm me. So I walk over to an armchair and sit down. He does the same. "Exactly. And I found out -really incredible", -I enjoy his sarcastic tone-, " that your blood has the same significant features to it as mine. Or Miss Parker's. The features that make the owner a Pretender." He stares at me, trying to get through my mask. He can't, though. 

I smile. "Call it Pretender or anything you like, I call it... a gift." 

His eyes narrow. "You were trained by your father when you were very young so that you'd be his successor when he died", Jarod states. 

I shrug and stand up to get us something to drink. "Well, yes... unfortunately my father died sooner than he had expected so that I had to take over the place at seven." I come back with two glasses and a bottle of liquor. 

Jarod stares at me - and his eyes widen. God, that guy is better than I thought. "You killed your father." 

"I removed him", I correct and smile at him. "Do you think I wanted to be Welton jr. all the time?" 

Jarod shakes his head and stares at me for a little while. "There's one thing that I don't understand." 

"Shoot." I'm still grinning at him. 

"Why does the department 'Find Jarod' exist? What are Miss Parker and Sydney working for?" 

I smile again. He seems to have realized my capabilities. Really - the only man I actually hold respect for is sitting in front of me. "Have you ever played hide-and-seek?" 

"What do you mean?" 

I pour some liquor in his glass and then in mine. "It's a game, Jarod. You run away, we follow you. And besides, this is the only way to keep Miss P occupied. We don't want her to start asking bothering questions like her mother did, do we?" 

Jarod is still staring at me -I find myself wondering whether that guy can do anything else- and I see despisement in his expression. I shake my head at him mildly. "Aw, Jarod, don't start about those moral questions now, okay? We're all playing a game somehow." 

He nods. "Yeah. Some are more and some are less brutal." 

"Brutal?!" I laugh out loud. "Jarod, you really offend me. I'd call myself anything else but not brutal. This is too much." I chuckle and pour myself another glass. 

"What do you expect me to do now?" he asks. I look at him, for a moment imagining how great it would be if that guy would ever forget his damn moral principles. I shrug, eventually. "Well, since I can't expect you to work with me, though it would be my greatest wish-" I stop and think of idiot Raines. "Well, one of my greatest wishes. I suggest we go on like before." 

"You playing the inferior technician and me running away, pretending to fool Parker?" He shakes his head. "I can't accept that." 

I inhale and exhale slowly, making a pitiful face. "Well sorry, Jarod, but I guess *you* know that I can't let you tell Syd or Miss P either." 

"You wouldn't--" He stares out of the window, thinking of the consequences. He's still got these father-son-feelings for Sydney and the silly romantic ideas about Miss P... what a pity for him. 

"You know I would, Jarod." I grow serious, suddenly. "The deal. Either I get you back into the Centre -you know I'm able to- or we continue the game." 

He stares at me, is probably lamenting about the world's unfairness. Then he nods slowly. "I will continue the game. Until I find another way." 

I nod. Of course he will try. I raise my glass at him and smile. "Until then, buddy - let the show go on."   



End file.
